Director Statement
In recent years, millions of Americans have voted for socialist politicians, and polls consistently show a majority of millennials prefer socialism over capitalism. But socialism is plagued by conflicting definitions and interpretations, most problematically the idea that it runs counterpoint to American national identity. The label has been deployed strategically at different points in history, embraced by the USSR to justify a dictatorship and vilified by the US to champion free-market capitalism. THE BIG SCARY “S” WORD grapples with these contradictions and provides a counterbalancing voice to the mainstream media’s antipathy toward the “un-American” ideology by engaging with Americans who are defining the term anew.
Yael Bridge
Director
Yael Bridge is an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker based in Oakland. She produced Left on Purpose, winner of the Audience Award at DOC NYC, and most recently produced Saving Capitalism with Robert Reich, nominated for an Emmy Award in Business and Economics. As Director of Productions at Inequality Media, Yael has made numerous viral videos tackling complex political issues that have garnered over 200 million views on social media. She holds an MFA in Documentary Film and Video from Stanford University and an MA in Media Studies from the New School.